A Town Hall meeting is being held at 1 p.m. today (Friday, October 28) to discuss security updates following a recent spate of robberies on the north side of campus. Representatives from UCPD and City of Berkeley police will be on hand to address any questions or concerns.
The event will be held in Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Engineering Center, and because of space limitations there, the community is encouraged to watch the livestream.
Related information: UCPD Police Chief Margo Bennett sent this message about safety issues to the campus community last week:
The string of robberies on the Northside and a recent shooting on the Southside has us all concerned about security in our community. Be assured that your safety is our top priority. The UC Berkeley Police Department has proactively focused enforcement with high-visibility and plainclothes patrols, increased safety outreach efforts, and reallocated our staffing to increase our presence in the field. Additionally, we are preparing to hire three additional officers to supplement our patrol ranks. We are also reallocating additional staffing for our BearWALK night safety program.
It is important to note that all of the recent cases, except one robbery, occurred in the city of Berkeley Police Department’s jurisdiction. Nevertheless, UCPD is working with the city’s police to assist in its investigations.
Despite these efforts, we understand there is a perception that crime is rising on our campus. Actually, our crime reduction strategies have resulted in a 12 percent decrease in violent crimes reported in 2015 as compared with 2014 (the latest year for which complete data is available), and an overall 23 percent reduction in all major crimes since 2014 — this is in sharp contrast to local and national crime trends. For the first half of 2016, the decrease in crime appears to be holding steady.
Yet, while we have a relatively low number of robberies on university property compared to our neighboring city jurisdictions, we nevertheless believe that any robbery on campus is one too many. So, in an effort to further decrease criminal activity and improve campus safety, we encourage you to follow these safety tips when walking at night:
- Use the free Night Safety Services located at
- Travel with a friend or in a group
- Be alert and aware of your surroundings
- When out and about, keep your electronic devices out of public view as they are a popular robbery target
- Avoid dark, vacant, or isolated areas
- Please do not delay in calling 911
To report a crime or for police assistance: call 911 or call UCPD at 510-642-3333 from a cell phone.
UCPD collaborates with Parking & Transportation (P&T) to provide free Night Safety Services, which consists of the BearWALK program, the Night Safety Shuttle, and the Door-to-Door shuttle. P&T offers a Night Safety Shuttle that runs on a fixed route from 7:30 p.m. until 3 a.m seven days a week. At 3 a.m.the shuttle converts to a door-to-door service which runs from 3-5:30 a.m. You can find more information, including routes and service times at nightsafety.berkeley.edu.
Students can view the bus location and request a door-to-door shuttle online at bearwalk.berkeley.edu.
For faculty, students and staff looking for additional resources:
Students can connect with Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) at the Tang Center by calling (510) 642-9494, or urgent drop-in Monday-Friday between 10 a.m.-5 p.m
Faculty and Staff can connect with Employee Assistance (formerly CARE Services) for confidential support by calling (510) 643-7754.
UCPD is your police department. We are committed to working in partnership with our community to promote safety and reduce the incidence and fear of crime. Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss any concerns you may still have.
Margo Bennett
Chief of Police